







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| No she is a very cute, easygoing and friendly girl. | |
| You can just stay with me, until you find somewhere to live. | |
| Okay, so do you want me to make 3 serves? | |
| Cate, are you okay? You seem a little bit aggressive. | |
| That's not nice, Mike! | |
| Thanks, yeah, as I said, Camden is in zone-2... | |
| Actually, it's quite urgent for me. | |
| That's why the rent is much lower than average. | |
| Do you want me to make you a cup of tea or coffee? | |
| Girls, this is Diego. | |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | |
| How is it my fault? | |
| It's difficult to find all the items manually on the self-checkout. | |
| What's the date today? | |
| Oh sorry dear, my husband has some difficulties hearing... | |
| Are you with your friends? | |
| Of course, there are 4 girls, all uni students from Germany. | |
| You don’t look like an English teacher to me. | |
| Of course, I researched it well, it's 525 metres. | |
| Why is that? | |